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Mizuho Ogon color

So recently, I've been fascinated with the Mizuho Ogon.

A quick Google image search reveals different colors(red, orange, yellow) of this variety, but are they all the same fish/different tone with no "correct" answer?(like a Yamabuki Ogon or Chagoi)
Or are these colors supposed to separate them name-wise, like the Utsuri and Matsuba type?

I believe you are correct as that is how I was taught. However cash is King and marketing is how you get it.

I am seeing a lot of Aka Matsubas this last year would simply have been Hi Asagi on the auction sites. I Like Hi Asagi's and it use to be hard to find a good one just like a real good regular Asagi's. These fish use to be culled unless it was an outstanding example. In fact I have one in my pond named Gracie, as in "by the grace of God" she was saved from being culled from the farm she came from. The original owner bought several Asagi's to grow out and watch. They sent two Hi Asagi's for free with the five "real Asagi's".

What I am saying is Names on the web sights may be more for profit than actually historically correct. I think Kodama was probably the first to start this about 10 years ago.

First, an Ogon variety is a metallic/hikari skinned fish of varying color. An Aka variety would be all orange/red and a ki would be all yellow but with NO hikari sheen. A Kin or Gin in front of the name would be a metallic sheen fish whether wagoi or doitsu types. The Mizuho Ogon would therefore need to be a metallic skinned fish. Mostly, I have only ever seen these to be a medium/light orange color. A Midori is not metallic but has a greenish yellow coloration that can turn quite ugly in harder water. So, a KinKi matsuba would be a yellow metallic based koi with the black centered scales (matsuba means pine cone in Japanese)

While it wouldn't surprise me to see variable colors still called Mizuho, it's more marketing and mis-labeling by dealers. I just did a google search and saw a listing that was for a GinRin Orenji Ogon from Fukuzawa Farm, offered by Kodama and touted as very rare and single individual available from that farm. the price was over $1800 because of the marketing. Even if you took the (1) out of the price, it's too much for that variety IMHO. It could well be that due to genetics within certain brood stock and breeders trying to make different varieties, you see these variations. Could be they're simply trying to sell some off the wall offspring so they came up with a name just to be able to market them. How long these variations stay around will tell the seriousness of the breeders in developing different colors and whether the hobbyists find them interesting. If you want another example of "variations on a theme" google search for Karashigoi/Konishi koi farm or Marudo koi farm/Karashigoi. Then look up "kigoi" and tell me what the difference is between a kigoi and a yellow karashigoi! Have fun!

"Our goal is to assist with emergency and Koi health issues, as well as educate on best practices. Please help us gain a clear picture by giving the original poster time to answer our questions before offering opinions and suggested treatments."

I see, so the "standard" Mizuho Ogon is supposed to be orange.
I've bought a orange KinKi Matsuba that faded to more of a young Yamabuki yellow after only a few weeks. The dealer feeds color food and I don't. Too bad because I have plenty of yellow & red fish and not enough orange. Now I wonder if it was actually a Ki Matsuba.
So I'm guessing a Mizuho Ogon leaning towards the "redder" side could do the same thing?

I just saw the posting on Kodama's archive. So what are you saying? Is it not a Ginrin version of an Orange Ogon, but a Benigoi?
Price-wise; it says it was born in 2009 and it appears it was put up for sale in 2012 so I guess $1,800 isn't too bad of a price for a 3-sai. Although that's a price that I'd personally never pay for a solid colored fish.lol

And it's funny that you mention Karashigoi & Kigoi...I bought a fish that I assumed was a Karashigoi but now I'm confused whether it's a Kigoi. Is the Karashi supposed to be more of a paler yellow?

First, the fish listed on Kodama's site - if it was born in 2009 it would now be 8 years old going on nine at harvest next month. So, yes, $1800 is a ridiculous price to pay for a monochromatic 8-9 yr old fish.

A kigoi and a more lustrous lemon yellow color where, in most cases a yellowish colored Karashigoi appears a bit more "flat" toned and bit darker. But Konishi and Marudo have really caused blurred lines between the two in that color range.

Feeding color food can bring out some really weird color variations in yellow/orange/red fish! As to that archive posting, if the fish was metallic AND had ginrin scales it would be an ogon. If it was just ginrin over standard coloration it would be either a Ginrin Benigoi or GR Aka Muji.

"Our goal is to assist with emergency and Koi health issues, as well as educate on best practices. Please help us gain a clear picture by giving the original poster time to answer our questions before offering opinions and suggested treatments."